


Cupid Day

by Flesh is Yummy (fleshisyummy)



Category: Code Geass
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Getting Together, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 11:47:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6078210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleshisyummy/pseuds/Flesh%20is%20Yummy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shirley decides she wants to do something special for Milly on Valentine's Day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cupid Day

**Author's Note:**

> this was written for tierney/retsuunohana for the code geass valentine's day exchange! i hope you like it! this is supposed to be for the prompt "making valentine's chocolate."
> 
> as for where this fits into the wonky code geass timeline, this is supposed to be set during R2 during the cupid day episode. shirley still doesn't have her memories back, sayoko is pretending to be lelouch, etc.

Shirley gasped as she popped her head out of the water. She quickly climbed out of the pool and went over to one of the less crowded sides. She knew the announcer was announcing names and that people were cheering, but she ignored the commotion. She had to catch her breath.

As she tried to regulate her breathing, she glimpsed someone in the crowd of people: blonde hair, big smile, and a very vigorous waving arm. Shirley smiled. Sure enough, Madame President had shown up. She waved back right before she felt someone grab her shoulders.

“That was amazing, Shirley!” Shirley turned around to see it was Sophie, her roommate and teammate. She handed Shirley a towel. “Congrats on getting first place!”

“O-oh, thank you!” Shirley said.

“Cheer for me when I do butterfly, okay?” Sophie said.

“Of course!” Shirley said, but Sophie was already running off somewhere. Shirley sighed happily and wrapped the towel around herself. She really hadn’t expected to win, and she was glad that Milly had shown up to cheer her on. The fact was that, well, the other members of the student council really didn’t show up to her swim meets. She didn’t hold it against them or anything. She realized Lulu wanted to do his own things (and okay, admittedly all the gambling angered her a bit), Suzaku was busy with his Rounds duties, Nina was now working for royalty which was a great accomplishment in and of itself, and Rivalz occasionally showed up to her meets if Milly could convince him to go.

Shirley should really go greet her before she started her cool-down. Suddenly, Shirley felt two hands cover her eyes, and she knew that she wouldn’t have to go looking for Milly, after all.

“Guess who,” Milly cooed, and Shirley could feel Milly pressing up against her.

“I know it’s you, Madame President,” Shirley said, clinging to her towel.

“Aw, you got me,” Milly said. She spun Shirley around and hugged her, and Shirley couldn’t help but squeak. Milly was pretty strong. She sometimes worried for Lulu whenever Milly hugged him.

Suddenly, something occurred to Shirley: she had just gotten out of the pool. “Madame President, you’re going to get all wet!” Shirley said, struggling to remove herself.

“Oh, that’s fine.” But Milly did step back. Shirley noted that there was now a big wet spot on the front of her dress, and she frowned. She really needed to be more responsible. It really was a nice dress. It helped show off her curves and…things.

Milly was glancing down now. “Wow,” she said, “you really are muscular. No wonder you beat everyone so easily!” 

“Not so loud!” Shirley said, reaching up to place a finger on Milly’s lips. She looked around to see if anyone had heard Milly speak. She didn’t want to seem like an ungracious winner even if Milly’s words _did_ fill her with pride. Luckily, it looked like no one had noticed.

“Um, Shirley?” Milly said.

“Oh, yes?”

“Could you remove your finger?”

Shirley blinked. “Y-yeah, sorry!” She quickly removed her hand, feeling her face heat up.

She expected Milly to giggle or tease her about being such a space cadet, but instead she said, “You’re too cute.” Her eyes were warm, and her smile was fond. Something about it made Shirley feel sort of embarrassed.

Then, Milly’s smile broadened, and she put her hands on her hips. “Congratulations, by the way! You deserved that win after all that training you’ve been doing.”

Shirley shook her head. “Everyone trained hard. Not just me!”

There was something Shirley needed to say, but it was...surprisingly hard to get the words out. She couldn’t continue being selfish like this.

Part of it probably had to do with her dad’s death. He had always made time to come to her swim meets even with how busy he was with his job. Shirley didn’t want to ask her mother to come because she knew it would only burden her. If her mother attended one of her meets, she would most likely have to deal with Ashford parents treating her with pity. Shirley knew from experience that this was pretty unpleasant. After her father’s passing, her teammates started looking at her with somber expressions and treating her more delicately. Shirley didn’t want her mother to go through all that.

Maybe that’s why Milly had stepped in. She was Shirley’s closest friend, so she might feel like she had some sort of obligation. Shirley looked at her feet, and said, “Madame President, you don’t have to come to my swim meets if you don’t want to.”

Shirley looked up to see that Milly looked surprised. “Oh,” Milly said. Her expression turned neutral. “Shirley, if you don’t want me coming to your swim meets, then I—”

“That’s not it at all!” Shirley said, cutting her off. Shirley’s cheeks reddened when she realized how loud that had come out, so she lowered her voice. “I really like when you come, but I know you must be busy with the student council and other things. I don’t want you taking time out of your schedule for my sake.”

There. She had said it. Milly raised an eyebrow, and then her expression turned thoughtful. She tapped her chin. “Hmm,” she said, “but what if it was also for my sake?”

“…What?” 

“I really do like watching you swim, Shirley. I can tell you enjoy it, and it makes me happy to see you doing something that you love.” Then Milly broke out into a smile and wagged her finger. “Plus, as the student council president, I’m supposed to check up on all the clubs. It’s not _all_ about you, you know.”

Shirley could feel a smile breaking out across her face, but she still raised an eyebrow. “When was the last time you went to one of the equestrian club practices?” she asked.

“I went that time Lelouch subbed in! I completely supported our vice president as he fell off a horse.” Milly shook her head. “But that’s not the point!”

“There’s a point?”

“Yes! The point is that you’re coming with me to the sauna after your meet!” At this, Milly pulled what appeared to be two certificates out of her purse. As soon as Shirley opened her mouth, Milly narrowed her eyes and kept talking. “No buts! This isn’t just for your sake. I’ve been wanting to go, and I need a companion. Also, there’s some top-secret student council business I’d like to discuss with you. Understood?”

Shirley grinned and saluted. “Loud and clear, Madame President.”

Shirley and Milly exchanged good-byes, and Shirley smiled as she dove back into the pool to do her cool-down. What Milly had said was…nice. Out of everyone in the student council, she definitely helped out Shirley the most. As Shirley swam her laps, she decided she wanted to do something for her in return.

~*~

The sauna really was relaxing, and it was nice that there was no one there but the two of them. Shirley closed her eyes and sighed happily as she lay on her towel, feeling the heat pleasantly envelope her body.

“See? Didn’t I tell you this was a good idea?” Milly said. “Isn’t this so relaxing?”

Shirley opened her eyes and glanced down to where Milly lay down on another ledge. Unlike Shirley, she had opted out of covering herself with a towel and was completely naked. Shirley was used to this. After all, all the girls took baths together at Ashford, but even Shirley couldn’t get over how beautiful Milly was. She was always laughing and smiling, but right now she looked so serene. Her eyes were closed, and her damp blonde hair framed her face. Her lips were full—fuller than Shirley’s—and they were curled in a small smile.

And, well, that was just her face. Shirley blushed as she quickly glanced at Milly’s…assets. It was…probably just a jealousy thing. Yes, that was it. It wasn’t like Shirley didn’t have a decent bust herself, but every girl wanted a body like Milly’s.

“Shirley, did you fall asleep?” Milly asked, opening her eyes. 

“N-no, I’m wide awake.” Shirley quickly directed her eyes elsewhere. Yes, the wooden floor looked interesting right about now. She hoped Milly would just assume the flush on her face was from the heat.

“That’s good because I _did_ tell you this excursion wasn’t just for relaxation. We have business to attend to as well,” Milly said, wagging her finger in the air. “I’ve decided what I want to do for my graduation event.”

“Oh,” Shirley said. She often forgot that Milly was graduating even though it was so close on the horizon. It really felt like Milly would be part of Ashford forever. “I’ll help in any way I can.”

“It’s a Cupid Day event,” Milly said. “Everyone wears hats, and if you steal someone’s, they have to be your boyfriend or girlfriend for the day. How does that sound?”

“Cupid Day,” Shirley murmured. She had completely forgotten about it, but Valentine’s Day was coming up, wasn’t it?

“Yes,” Milly, “I decided it would work out well because Valentine’s Day is coming up soon.”

“Oh,” Shirley said.

“Shirley?” Milly asked.

“Yes?”

“Did you forget about Valentine’s Day?”

“N-no,” Shirley stuttered. 

She was such a terrible liar, and Milly knew it. Sure enough, Milly reached up from her ledge and tugged on Shirley’s ear. “O-w!” Shirley said. “Madame President!”

“How could you forget about one of the greatest holidays on earth? It’s when hearts are bonded, romance is in the air, and love is realized!” Milly said, still tugging on Shirley’s ear. “And especially you of all people! I thought you would have already started thinking about what kind of chocolates you would make for Lelouch.”

Shirley blushed at that. Thinking about Lulu now was just…weird. He had kissed her, avoided her, and then he went on a bunch of dates with a lot of different girls. It was all so confusing.

“I haven’t thought about that,” Shirley muttered, picking at her towel.

Milly released her ear. “Hmm, really?”

Shirley didn’t say anything, and Milly sighed, moving back to her own ledge. “Well, do you approve of my idea?”

Shirley snorted at that. “You don’t need my approval,” she said. “You’re the president.”

“You’re right,” Milly said. “I don’t _need_ your approval, but I would like it. What do you think?”

Shirley thought about it for a moment. It sounded crazy and chaotic, but also…”It sounds like fun,” she said.

Immediately, Milly sat up. Her eyes were lit up, and her expression was full of glee. It was actually kind of cute. “Really?” she said. “I thought for sure you wouldn’t approve.” 

“You’re making me sound stuffy,” Shirley said, sitting up herself. “I know I don’t approve of things like Lulu’s gambling, but I think people should have fun.”

Milly smirked. “It’s probably going to be pretty hectic.”

Shirley smiled. “How could I expect anything else from you, Madame President?”

Milly’s smile widened, and then she laughed. She laughed so hard that her shoulders shook, and she covered her mouth with her hand. Shirley couldn’t help but giggle herself. Milly’s laugh _was_ pretty contagious.

Once Milly had calmed down, she leaned over Shirley’s ledge and said, “I’m actually kind of curious about something.”

Milly’s expression was pretty mischievous, and it made Shirley feel a little nervous. “What would that be?” Shirley asked.

“What would you do if someone besides Lelouch stole your hat?” Milly asked.

Shirley blushed. “Um.” Of all that things she had considered Milly asking, she hadn’t expected that. “I really don’t think there’s any boys that are interested in me that way.”

“You shouldn’t sell yourself so short,” Milly said, flicking Shirley on the arm. “Also, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a boy.”

“W-what are you saying?” Shirley stuttered.

“I’m sure there’s some underclassman girl out there who thinks to herself, ‘Oh, how’d I love for Shirley Fenette to wrap her big strong muscular arms around me!’”

Shirley looked down at her arms. “They’re not _that_ big.”

Milly giggled. “They’re _toned_ , and they’re very nice to look at it.” When Shirley didn’t respond, Milly frowned. “Did I upset you?”

“No, I just…hadn’t really considered that,” Shirley admitted. That was probably a poor way to phrase it. She knew girls sometimes dated other girls. Her roommate Sophie was a lesbian, after all. It was just something she had never thought about in terms of herself.

“Maybe you should,” Milly said, her hair hanging in her face. At least Shirley thought she had said that? Maybe she had misheard.

“What?”

Milly pushed her hair away and smiled. “I was just saying that it’s actually pretty common. There’s that roommate of yours, and I’ve actually gotten a confession from a girl before.”

Shirley’s eyes widened. “You have?” As soon as the words left Shirley’s mouth, she realized that it really wasn’t all that surprising. Milly was really beautiful, charismatic, and kind, so it made sense that both girls and boys alike would be interested in her.

“Yep,” Milly said, “although I had to turn her down. I’m married to my work as the student council president, after all.”

“Was…was that the only reason?” Shirley asked. For some reason, she was starting to feel rather light-headed. Maybe she needed to get out of the sauna soon. 

“Well, I _am_ engaged.”

“Oh,” Shirley said. “Right.”

“But I also didn’t really know her,” Milly said, voice thoughtful. “I don’t think it’s fair to accept someone’s feelings if you don’t feel the same way.”

That…made sense. Shirley had watched people at Ashford accept confessions from total strangers, and it seemed…odd to her. Shirley was thinking about what to say when, suddenly, Milly spoke again.

“Shirley, are you going to miss me when I graduate?”

Milly was lying back down on her ledge, facing away from Shirley. All Shirley could see was the back of her head. “Of course!” Shirley said. “But I hope I don’t have to miss you too much!”

“What?” Milly asked. Her voice sounded strange.

“I mean,” Shirley said, “I hope that you’ll visit us! I’ll be sad if you don’t. Actually, I think everyone would be sad. You…you really made school fun for everyone.”

“I’m glad,” Milly said. She turned back around, and she was smiling. She reached out and squeezed Shirley’s hand, and Shirley squeezed back. They stayed like that for a while, holding hands, eyes on one another, and Shirley felt her cheeks heat up. It was pretty intimate – not that she minded. She could feel her heart beating fast, but there was also a part of her that felt strangely calm.

Milly was the one to break the silence. “Shirley?”

“Yes?”

“We should probably go to the baths. You look like you're about to pass out from the heat,” Milly said, letting go of Shirley’s hand.

“Right,” Shirley said, following Milly out of the sauna. For some reason, she felt rather disappointed.

~*~

It was a couple days later that Shirley came up with her idea: chocolates. Obviously, Milly was enamored with Valentine’s Day and everything that went along with it, and chocolates were part of the tradition. Milly had brought up the idea of Shirley making chocolates for Lulu, but Shirley doubted Lulu would actually appreciate it. He would be polite of course and smile and express his gratitude, but she knew he wasn’t a big sweets eater. Also, considering that she had once heard him ranting about the commercialism of Valentine’s Day, the tradition part would probably be lost on him too.

Milly, on the other hand, would appreciate both parts. Shirley knew it wasn’t enough to repay her for everything she had done for her, but at the very least it could be a little something that would make her smile.

That left one little problem: Shirley was absolutely hopeless in the kitchen. She always tried to follow recipes exactly, but something always ended up going wrong.

Therefore, a little recruitment was in order. 

While Lulu might not be able to appreciate receiving chocolate, Shirley was positive he would be great at making it. He was one of the best cooks she knew. He had passed their culinary class with flying colors while Shirley had to work her butt off to manage a B, and she suspected that the teacher had taken pity on her.

Things were admittedly a little weird between the two of them, but Shirley knew Lulu cared about Milly as well so maybe they’d be able to pull this off together. Hopefully.

That was why Shirley was currently camped outside Lulu's class, waiting from him to get out. She had asked her own teacher if she could leave a couple minutes early just for this. Considering the way he practically fled out of Coach Villleta’s gym classes, she knew she would have to practically ambush him. 

“C’mon,” Shirley said to herself as she waited outside the door. “C’mon.”

“Shirley, is that you?”

Shirley turned around to see Rivalz walking toward her. He looked pretty confused which was to be expected. Shirley realized she did look kind of weird.

“Hi, Rivalz!” she said with a wave. “I’m just waiting for Lulu to get out of class.”

“Oh,” Rivalz said, raising an eyebrow. “Waiting, huh?”

“Yep,” Shirley said, “I’m going to make Valentine’s Day chocolate, and I wanted to ask Lulu for help.” 

Rivalz’s eyebrow managed to rise even higher. “Isn’t it kind of weird to ask the person you’re making chocolates for to make them with you?” he asked.

Shirley furrowed her eyebrows until she realized what Rivalz was getting at. “Oh!” she said “I’m not making chocolate for Lulu.”

“Huh?”

Just then, Lulu walked out of the classroom, and Shirley pointed at him. “Lulu!”

Shirley heard Rivalz say something that sounded like, “I’ll give you two some alone time” before hearing him walk away.

Lulu's eyes widened. He looked fairly bewildered by Shirley’s outburst, and Shirley felt her cheeks heat up. Maybe ambushing him hadn’t been the best idea. However, Lulu quickly composed himself and cleared his throat.

“Hello, Shirley,” he said, “is something the matter?” He frowned. “I thought I finished all the paperwork Milly asked me to do.”

“No, um, it’s nothing like that,” Shirley said. “I just wanted to make Valentine’s Day chocolate for Milly after school as a show of appreciation for everything she’s done and because she’s graduating soon, and I was wondering if you could help me because you know how bad I am in the kitchen, and it would be a huge help!” It all came out in a rush, and Shirley looked up at Lulu, hoping that he’d understood.

“Valentine’s chocolate, huh?” Lulu said, sounding contemplative. “I’m sorry, Shirley, but I’m afraid—”

“Hi, Shirley! What are you two talking about?” Shirley looked to the side to see Suzaku walking over to her and Lulu.

“Hello, Suzaku,” Lulu said. Shirley noticed that he didn’t bother to turn and look at Suzaku as he stopped to stand beside him. “Shirley was talking about how she wanted to make Valentine’s chocolate after school, but, unfortunately, I have a prior engagement. You should help her out.”

Suzaku shot Lulu a look of…disgust? No, that couldn’t be right. Maybe she was just seeing things. That was probably the case because Suzaku quickly smiled at Shirley.

“I’m sorry, Shirley,” Suzaku said. “I’d love to help, but I’m actually busy with my Rounds duties.”

“Of course,” Shirley said. “I wouldn’t want you to—”

“Why can’t you cancel your appointment, Lelouch?” Suzaku said, cutting Shirley off, smile still in place. “Besides, I’m sure you’d be more help than me.”

Lulu plastered a smile on his own face. “I’m afraid I cannot do that, Suzaku.”

“Really?” Suzaku said, his eyes narrowing. “But aren’t you just going to go gambling with Rolo?”

This was really getting out of hand. Shirley didn’t know what was going on with the two of them, but it was making her nervous. 

“Um,” Shirley said, waving her hands back and forth. “It’s fine. I’ll just find someone else.” She started walking backwards, but someone behind her stopped her.

Shirley turned around. “I’m sorry—” she started, but she stopped when she realized that it was none other than the student council president. 

“I overheard your conversation,” Milly said, a big smile on her face.

“Oh,” Shirley said, feeling her chest fall. She had wanted it to be a surprise, but there was nothing that could be done now.

“You want to make Valentine’s chocolate for everyone in the student council!” Milly exclaimed. “That’s a great idea!”

“W-what?” Shirley asked.

“I was actually thinking about doing the same thing. I guess great minds think alike.” Milly then turned to Suzaku and Lulu and pointed at them. “As for you two, I think you both need some perspective. Suzaku, you need to relax more. Lelouch, you need to stop gambling so much. Shirley doesn’t like it, and a gentleman considers a lady’s feelings.”

“Y-yes, Madame President!” Suzaku and Lulu said in unison.

“Good,” Milly said. She took Shirley’s hand and started walking.

“Wait! Where are we going?” Shirley asked, trying to not to get dragged along.

Milly smiled. “To make chocolate, of course!”

~*~

Shirley could feel sweat drip down her face as she poured the chocolate in the molds. With her luck, she would end up accidentally pouring the chocolate all over the floor if she wasn’t careful.

“Steady,” Milly said. “Steady…and you’re done!”

Shirley gasped and placed the bowl on the counter. She wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand and looked to see that Milly was smiling at her.

“You look like a doctor who just performed her first surgery,” Milly said.

Shirley frowned. “It…it was nerve-wracking!” she protested. “You know how horrible I am at cooking.”

“How could I forget?” Milly said with a giggle. “You once made a pie that exploded in Lelouch’s face. I still don’t know how you managed that.”

Shirley couldn’t help but smile herself. She remembered feeling terrible about the exploding pie. Lulu had reassured her that it was all right, but it had been pretty gruesome. There had been pie chunks on his face, in his hair, and all over his body. It looked like he had been attacked.

“Anyway,” Milly said, “we just need to stick these in the fridge, and they should be done in the morning.”

“Oh, okay!” Shirley said. She picked up two of the molds and started heading to the fridge in the clubhouse’s kitchen.

“I’m sure Lelouch will appreciate all the hard work you’ve put into them,” Milly said.

Shirley paused in her walking. “Madame President, I’m not—”

“Oh, sorry, I have to run! It seems like there was a scheduling conflict over the gym, and the boys’ volleyball captain and basketball captain are apparently on the verge of attacking each other. I should probably go smooth things over.” 

Shirley turned around to see Milly typing on her phone. Milly looked up, gave a warm smile, and waved before heading for the door.

“Remember to let them harden!” Milly called out. “You need to make sure they’re perfect for Lelouch!” And then she rushed out.

Shirley sighed. She _really_ wished everyone would stop assuming that she was making chocolate for Lulu.

~*~

_“Okay then, let’s get started!”_

Milly’s voice blared over the loudspeakers. Shirley couldn’t help but feel bad for Lulu. Everyone was going to be after him now that his hat had a reward of a club’s budget being increased by ten times. 

Shirley had a bag of chocolate she still needed to give Milly, so her top priority was to find her. Unfortunately, because Lulu was nowhere to be found, people ran after Shirley instead and kept pestering her. They all seemed to assume she had some sort of Internal Lulu GPS. 

Luckily, Shirley’s swim club training had paid off because she was able to outrun everyone who was after her for information on Lulu’s whereabouts. She ran out of the classrooms and past the gardens. She looked up and saw she was near the clubroom building. She knew for a fact that Milly was up there doing her broadcasting, and maybe Lulu was up there too in an attempt to hide from everyone hunting him down.

Shirley raced up to the clubroom, and, sure enough, Milly was there, wearing a headset and surrounded by computer screens showing various locations around Ashford’s campus. 

Milly turned around, her eyes widening. Shirley watched as she plastered a smile on her face and then took off her headset. “What are you doing here, Shirley? You’re supposed to be going after Lelouch. If you steal his hat, you'll not only get him to be your boyfriend, but you’ll also get an increased budget for the swim club!”

She winked at Shirley, and Shirley gripped her bag of chocolate tighter. Maybe it was a mistake coming here…no. No! She couldn’t think that way. Shirley Fenette was on a mission, and she was going to see it through.

Before Shirley could say anything, Milly said, “What’s in the bag? Are those chocolates for Lulu?” Her voice was teasing, but it didn’t sound as light as usual.

Shirley shook her head. “No,” she said, “they’re not for Lulu.”

“Then who are they for?” Milly asked. “Are they for _me_?” She giggled.

“Yes,” Shirley said. She took a few steps closer and held out the bag to Milly. “They are for you.”

Milly’s smile fell. “For me? But you…”

"Madame President, please accept these chocolates!” Shirley said, squeezing her eyes shut. “I wanted to give you something to show my appreciation for all you’ve done for me, and I know this isn’t enough, but I hope you accept it anyway.” Shirley opened her eyes, and Milly looked confused. Her head was cocked to the side.

“Then why did you ask…oh.” It seemed to be clicking for her, and Shirley decided to add some clarification of her own.

“The truth is that I went to Lulu for help at first, but I’m glad things turned out this way,” Shirley said. She could feel a smile creeping up her face. “I really enjoyed making chocolates with you.”

For a moment, Milly looked dumbstruck. Shirley held her breath. She hoped Milly wouldn’t think she was weird or strange for doing this, and then Milly started to laugh.

She laughed and laughed. “I can’t believe I ended up helping you make the chocolate you made for me,” Milly said in between laughs. Shirley could see tears springing in Milly’s eyes from laughing so hard.

Shirley tried to make a pouty face, but it didn’t really work. “It’s not that funny,” she said.

Milly wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry. It isn’t,” she said. “It’s just that you’re so cute, Shirley.”

Shirley could feel herself blushing, but nothing could prepare her for what Milly did next. Before she could even react, Milly had taken off Shirley’s hat and replaced it with her own. She then placed Shirley’s hat upon her own head.

“Well, it looks like you have to be my girlfriend for the day,” Milly said, a giant smile on her face.

Milly looked so beautiful with that smile on her face, her eyes lit up, and all Shirley could do was drink it in. However, the smile on Milly’s face soon fell, and her expression turned sheepish. 

“I’m only kidding,” Milly said, patting the hat on her head. “I know you want to go steal Lelouch’s hat.”

No. That was wrong. Shirley felt like she was in a trance. Milly suddenly felt so far away. She was turning back to the computer monitors, that melancholy expression on her face, and Shirley just wanted to see her smile again. Before Shirley could think herself out of it, she set the chocolate on the floor, grabbed Milly by the shoulders, and pressed her lips against hers.

Shirley kept pressing her lips. And pressing. And pressing. It was around the time that Shirley realized, “Oh, I might pass out if I don’t pull away” that she _finally_ pulled away. 

Milly looked pretty out of breath herself. She had a hand to her chest, and her face looked pretty red. Shirley blushed. Yeah, kissing Milly until they were both out of breath probably hadn’t been the best idea.

“Wow, Shirley,” Milly said, patting her chest and she tried to suck air back into her lungs. “You really took my breath away. Literally.”

“I’m sorry!” Shirley said. Her face was on fire now. “I shouldn’t have done that!”

Milly stopped patting her chest and looked at Shirley. Her eyebrows were furrowed. “Do you mean that you shouldn’t have kissed me?”

“No,” Shirley said, and she looked straight into Milly’s eyes when she said it. “I meant _that_.”

Maybe she had ruined things. Maybe Milly would think she was a total weirdo for doing that. But still…Shirley couldn’t regret her actions. She wasn't going to lie to herself. She had wanted to kiss Milly. Maybe for a while. Now that she had done it, she couldn’t back down.

Shirley looked at the clubroom ground, feeling anxious. Milly hadn’t said anything back. All she could do was wait for a reply. Shirley waited to hear some words, but then she felt a light pressure against her lips, the softest brush, and she realized Milly had kissed her back.

Shirley looked up, and Milly was smiling again. “Happy Cupid Day, Shirley,” she said.

“Happy…oh my god!”

Milly raised an eyebrow. “Is something the matter?”

 _Everything_ was the matter. Shirley had completely forgotten that Milly was engaged. In all her eighteen years of life, Shirley had never expected to kiss a noble’s fiancée. She was practically a home wrecker. Could she go to jail for this? She didn’t know much about the nobility but—

“Shirley!” Shirley snapped back to reality to see that Milly was holding her shoulders, a concerned look on her face. “Please tell me what’s the matter. You’re scaring me.”

“You’re…you’re engaged,” Shirley whispered, feeling like she was about to cry. 

“Oh.” A smile broke out across Milly’s face. “Actually, I’m not anymore.”

“…What?”

“Yep,” Milly said, “I broke it off a few days ago. I was planning on telling everyone today after, well, the event, but I guess I can’t really keep it a secret anymore.”

“But…” Shirley started. “Was it because…?”

Milly tapped Shirley on the nose. “No, it wasn’t _just_ because of you. The past few days I’ve been thinking about what Nina said to me, and I realized I wanted to live my own life.”

Shirley frowned. “But are you still okay…with that?”

Milly giggled. “Oh, I’m more than okay. The whole reason I was marrying him in the first place was for my family’s sake. I never had feelings for him.” She crossed her arms over chest. “As for my ex-fiancé, if his laughter over the phone when I told him is any indication, I don’t think he was too upset. Honestly, I don’t think he was all that interested in women. Or people for that matter.”

“Oh,” Shirley said, feeling a little shocked.

“So, yes, Shirley, you’re not part of some illicit affair. You don’t need to worry about that,” Milly said with a smirk.

Shirley pouted. She wanted to protest that she hadn't been all that worried, but that would have been a total lie.

Milly leaned down and kissed her again. “You shouldn’t frown like that,” she said. “You’ll get wrinkles.”

Shirley opened her mouth to retort, but then Milly was pulling the both of them into a chair. Shirley flailed a bit, her hat falling off, and then she realized that she was actually sitting in Milly’s lap. And it was actually…nice. There was a part of Shirley that wanted to hide her face in her hands in embarrassment, but there was a bigger part that wanted to gaze into Milly’s eyes.

Still, Shirley had to be responsible. Or at least pretend to be. “Shouldn’t…shouldn’t you be hosting the Cupid Day event?” Shirley asked.

“I think it’s fine if I take a little break,” Milly said. “Also, I think something more important is in order first.” Milly reached down and picked the bag of chocolates off the floor, handing them to Shirley.

"Oh?"

“You should feed me my Valentine’s chocolate,” Milly said with a wink.

“You’re such a dirty old man,” Shirley replied, wrapping her arms around Milly’s shoulders.

Milly grinned. “You love it.”

**Author's Note:**

> AND BECAUSE MILLY AND SHIRLEY ARE NOW GIRLFRIENDS, SHIRLEY DOESN'T DIE. THE END.


End file.
